Stretcher



March 14, 1933.

L. E. GOLDBLATT STRETCHER Filed June 19, 1931 47 INVENTOR.

? j Z A TTORNEKK.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNlTEfi STRETCHER Application filed. June 19,

This invention relates to stretchers and is particularly directed to apparatus for trans porting patients, such as orthopneio patients, in sitting posture.

An object of this invention i s to provide apparatus of the character described for effectively retaining in upright position, the upper portion of the persons body, while being transported, whereby patients who; can only breathe in upright or sitting position and whose life would be endangered byplacing the patients in prone position, may be safely transported as for example, to a hospital.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which shall be readily collapsible, so that the flexible portions thereof may be readily removed for the purpose of washing and sterilizing; and which may be readily and quiesly set up, for example, in the street, for carrying a patient from the scene of an accident directly to a hospital bed with the upper portion of his body in upright position,

A further object of this invention is to provide a compact and durable'apparatusof the character described which shall comprlse comparatively few and simple parts, be easy to set up or collapse, which shall be comfortable and safe in use and easy to handle for carrying patients, and which shall be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and withal practical and eflicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of ele-' ments, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown oneof the various, possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying the invention in position for receiving the patient;

ed; and

1931. Serial No. 545,444.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical cross-sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a portion of my improved apparatus with parts thereof fold- Fig, l is a perspective view of the frame used in my improved apparatus and showing a portion thereof in horizontal position in dottedlines.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 53 i 10 designates apparatus embodying the invention comprising an ordinary stretcher 11 and a member 12 associated therewith, in the manner hereinafter appearing, for retaining patients on the stretcher in position so that 55 I the upper portion of the body is substantially upright. The usual stretcher 11 comprises a canvas sheet 13 having parallel sleeveportions 14: at the side edges thereof slidably receiving the elongated poles 15, the end portions of said poles projecting beyond said sleeves and constituting handles whereby the stretcher may be carried. 7 The member 12 is preferably made of can- V vas, or the like textile material andcomprises a sleeve like portion 16 substantially the width ofthe. stretcher 11 sothat the said stretcher may beinserted within said sleeve in the manner shown in Fig. 1. Preferably the stretcher is longer than said sleeve portion 16 and projects from both ends thereof. The underside of the sleeve 16 is preferably slit transversely to produce edge porv tions 17 and 18, and forms a portion 19 which may be folded forward as shown in the drawing. Said portion 19 may be provided .with two lines of longitudinal stitching 20 and 21 forming parallel sleeves 22 and 22a respectivelyfor the purpose hereinafter appearing. A Sewed to said portion 19 at the rear end 1 thereof is a strap member 23 disposed transversely of said member, and preferably located below the upper edge 24: thereof. The strap member 23 preferably extends beyond the member 19 on opposite sides thereof and one end thereof is provided with a buckle 26 adapted to cooperate with a strap portion 27 having a row of spaced openings, whereby said strap 23 may be wrapped around thegbody of a patient below the arms, and

the strap attached for retaining the patient in sitting position on top of the sleeve 16, and with the patients legs outstretched.-

For retaining said portion 19 in upright position there is provided a frame member 30, preferably made of hollow tubing, and comprising a portion 31 adapted to be placed on the stretcher '11 adjacent the portion 19, and a portion 32 hinged to said portion 31 and having a pair of upright members 34 and 35 adapted to extend through said sleeves 22, 22a. Preferably, said frame portion 31 is provided with upright portions 36 and 37 of channel cross-section forreceiving thelowerend portions of the uprights 34, 35. Said uprights may furthermore be pivoted as at 39 and 40 to said portions 36 and 37, respectively, whereby the member 32 may be swung downwardlyto the'dotted line position shown in Fig. 1,. for convenience in storing the frame. Obviously, the channel shaped portions 36, 37 are adapted to retain the member 32 in upright position and to limit the upwardly swinging movement thereof to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. To

give added strength, a member 41 may interconnect the upright members 34, 35, adjacent the lower ends thereof.

For retaining the frame member in position on the-stretcher, there is provided a member 44 made of canvas or any other suitable textile materialstitched to said edge portions 17, as at 45, and extending rearwardly therefrom. The member 44 is preferably provided with outward extensions 46 and 47 adapted to be folded over the sleeve portion '14 of the stretcher 11. Attached to said extensions 46 and 47 are strap portions 48 and 49 respectively, one of said portions having a buckle 48a, and the other of said portions having a row of perforations 49a for coaction with "said buckle, whereby said extensions 46 and 47 may be folded to overlie the portion 31 of the frame member 30 and strapped together for preventing tilt-ing of the frame member. Obviously, any other suitable fastening means may be substituted for the buckle and strap described above.

It will now be seen that a patient, such as any orthopneic patient, who canonly breathe in upright or sitting position, may be placed on top of the member 16 with the patlents back againstthe member 19 and the legs outstretched. The portions 26 and 27 may thus be strapped together for tightly retain1ng the patient in said position and to prevent the patient from moving. Upon lifting and moving the stretcher by means of the poles 15, the stretcher wil'lna'turally curve somewhat about the patients legs, and thighs and due to the strapping of the patient, the patient will not fall from the apparatus during transit, even though the stretcher is tilted sidewise. The upper portion of the patients body will be. retained in upright potients back. furthermore be tapered outwardly for add sition since the frame member cannot tilt frame member may'also be removed and folded into a single plane. The member 12 being made of canvas or the like textile material, may also be folded into a. compact package and may furthermore be readily washed and sterilized. Obviously, if desired, the sleeve portion 16 may be shortened so that the patients legs will rest directly on the portion 13 of the stretcher.

.Also the rod portion 41 may be curved to conform to the natural curvature of the pa- The upright rods 34, 35 may ing to the comfort of the patient.

My improved apparatus may be readily carried in an ambulance and set up in the street at the scene of an accident, or wherever the pat-ientmay be, so that the patient may be directly placed on my improved stretcher and retained with the back upright until the patient reaches the hospital bed.

As shown in Fig. -1, the upper portion 'of sleeve 16 may be slit transversely as at 5O for receiving the patients legs, said sleeve thus serving to retain the legs against movement. The forward ends of the poles may be moved together for pouching of the sleeve 16 suflicie'ntly "to permit the patients legs to be passed Within said sleeve.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted "to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a stretcher comprising an elongated flexible sheet having parallel sleeves at the side edges thereof, and poles within said sleeves and extending from the outer ends thereof and forming handles for carryingthe stretcher, said stretcher being adapted to support a person lying thereon, and means on said stretcher for retaining the upper portion of the body of a person carried on said stretcher in upright position, said means comprising a frame having a portion resting on said flexible sheet and between said poles, and an upright portion pivoted to said first portion and having a pair of parallel upstanding arms, a flexible sleeve disposed'about said stretcher, straps extending from said sleeve disposed about said first portion of said frame for attaching said frame to said stretcher, and a flexible back-rest having sleeve portions at the ends thereof for removably receiving said arms.

2. In combination with a stretcher, means for retaining the upper portion of the body of a person lying on said stretcher in'upright position, said means comprising a frame mem her having a portion resting on said stretcher, and an upright portion pivoted to said first portion, a flexible sleeve member removably receiving said stretcher and having straps disposed about the first portion of said frame for attaching said frame to said stretcher, and a flexibie member removably, attached to said upright portion forming a back-rest.

3. In combination with a stretcher, means said stretcher therethrough, a frame having a portion resting on said stretcher and an upright portion, and a member extending from said sleeve'attached to said upright por tions and forming a back rest, and means attached to said extending member for strap- 'a' portion restingonsaid stretcher, and "an upright portion, and a member extending from said sleeve attached to said upright portion andforming a back rest, andmeans for strapping the first named portion of said frame to said stretcher;

In testimony whereof I aflix my LOUIS GOLDBLATT.

for retaining the upper portion of the body of a person carried on said stretcher in upright posltlon, said means comprlsing a sleeve-like member receivlng sald stretcher therethrough and a frame member having aportion resting on said stretcher and an upright portion, a flexible member extending from said sleeve-like member forming a back rest attached to said upright portion, and means on said back rest for strapping the patients body thereto. 7

4. In combination with a stretcher adapted to support a person lying thereon, means detachably attached thereto for retaining the patient carried on said stretcher with his back in substantially upright position, said means comprising a frame removably mounted on said stretcher, a flexible member forming a back rest attached to said frame, means on said back-rest for strapping the patients back thereto, means for attaching said frame to said stretcher, and means extending from said last mentioned means for attaching the patients legs to said stretcher.

5. In combination, a stretcher comprising an elongated flexible sheet having parallel sleeves at the side edges thereof and poles 7 within said sleeves and extending from the outer ends thereof and forming handles for carrying the stretcher, a sleeve receiving said stretcher therethrough, a frame having a portion resting on said stretcher and an upright portion, and a member extending from said sleeve attached to said upright portion and forming a back rest.

6. In combination with a stretcher com-' prising an eiongated flexible sheet having parallel sleeves at the side edges thereof, and poles within said sleeves and extending from the outer ends thereof and forming handles for carrying the stretcher, a sleeve receiving signature. j 

